The EPA and DOT are looking to shake up the traditional window sticker. A 2007 energy dept. law states that for 2012, new window stickers must put new vehicle in "fleetwide context" for greenhouse gases, fuel economy, and smog production. The context must also include plug-in hybrids, diesel cars and pure EVs.
Under the plan, vehicles scored would be ranked from A+ to D (What, no gold stars?) with the median grade being a B-. EVs-- Nissan Leaf. Mini Cooper E-- would see a grade of A+ while plug in hybrids would be relegated to a sub-superlative A. Good hybrids like the Ford Fusion and Honda Insight would score an A-.
The letter grade system is the more extreme of the two proposals and the one the auto industry is most strongly against. The simpler reevaluation of the sticker (below) keeps the traditional bar graphs with MPG, greenhouse gas production, air pollution score, annual cost and city / highway range. There would be specific labels for EVs, standard fuel (gas or diesel) Vehicles, Plug-In Hybrid and CNG Vehicles.
Both of the options offer interactive scan-points for smartphone users to learn more or compare it on their phone and a new 'gallons per 100 miles' metric.
The EPA is looking for input on which to use, and so are we. The A-D rating just seems to smug, we can already picture the Plug-in Prius drivers keeping the window stickers on eternally just to show off the A. Sort of like kids who keep the sticker on their flat-billed Starter hat. Similarly, it fails to take into account the energy required to produce the electricity (coal? Nuclear? Children on a big wheel?) and relies only on tailpipe emissions. Giving EVs a straight A is simply sweeping the pollution under the rug right?
Alternate window information stickers after the jump.
rsholland says:
04:59 PM, 08/30/10
I can understand why the industry would be against the letter system, as it will have the most effect in changing customer's buying habits. Maybe not here on this forum, but you can bet it will have a huge impact on John and Jane Q. Public.
makakio says:
05:16 PM, 08/30/10
I agree. Los Angeles used to give letter gradings to restaurants based on cleanliness and hygiene scoring (these had to be prominently displayed) and the restaurants that had C+ grades of worse just saw their popularity PLUMMET.
Brilliant idea if you want to change John and Jane QP's buying...
hybris says:
08:35 PM, 08/30/10
"Giving EVs a straight A is simply sweeping the pollution under the rug right?"
A real inconvenient truth.
Hopefully this falls through somehow.
bankerdanny says:
08:18 AM, 08/31/10
I'm with RSHolland. The Big orange circle forces buyers to really consider the cost of the fuel they will use and how efficient the vehicle will be.
I much prefer the government establish rules that encourage people to buy more efficient cars rather than limiting my choices by pushing CAFE figures sky high and forcing auto makers to reduce or eliminate production of high performance/low fuel economy performance cars (read Mustang/Camaro/Challenger).
majin_ssj_eric says:
09:10 AM, 08/31/10
Can anybody explain to me how it became the government's damn business to tell me what car I should buy? How in the hell has the eco-fascist lobby gotten so much traction and influence in Washington today? Greenhouse gas emissions? I couldn't care less about that if my hair was on fire. Meanwhile vehicles that hit all of the typical hippy tree-hugger g-spots get "A"'s?
We need to take this country back from all of you idiots who think its the government's job to regulate our entire lives. Let people decide on their own which cars they want to drive rather than "propaghandize" them. If the people truly want to spend less on gas they will vote with their wallets. Why doesn't anybody recognize all of this "green" hysteria for what it is: A chance for all of the statists in this country to control every aspect of your entire life....
greenpony says:
11:13 AM, 08/31/10
Amen, majin.
cwc1 says:
06:53 PM, 08/31/10
Not a bad idea if you like tyranny.
firstwagon says:
08:55 PM, 08/31/10
majin_ssj_eric
Relax dude
No one is making you do anything so lose the big chip on your shoulder.
People with common sense are just trying to direct the general public in a more responsible direction. It's still a free country, you are still welcome to burn as much gas and create as much pollution as you possibly can.
BTW:... if you think this is govenment control then you really should get out of you folks basement and travel the world. If you're going to get mad at something might as well be something more important then someone sticking a fuel economy grade on a window sticker.
roadburner says:
06:36 PM, 09/ 1/10
One of my friends said it best:
"One can already look up the city and highway mileage figures for any cars under consideration, and make an informed decision. But to this nanny government, we are NOT as smart as a fifth grader, and need letter grades to tell us that a Ford F150 gets lower fuel mileage than a Toyota Prius.
Cut the EPA and DOT budgets in half if this is the kind of nonsense they are dreaming up."
cjw88 says:
09:08 AM, 09/ 6/10
have to agree with roadburner. It seems the EPA thinks we're to dim witted to compare defined numbers and believes most consumers are impulse car buyers. The lettering system just makes buying a vehicle in particular market segments more ambiguous. It only encourages the consumer to compare different vehicle classes, not individual vehicles within their market segment.